Simplified Bruschetta

This, um, “recipe” is so simple that it’s almost embarrassing to call it one. Yet bruschetta is also the kind of dish that seems kind of fancy, like you could only get it pre-made or in a restaurant (and even then, how do you pronounce it? Hard C, and come off as pretentious? Or SH sound, and worry that you’re uneducated? Tough decisions here, people).

The solution: Chop up a few of those gorgeous tomatoes from your farmer’s market or your garden (no, store-bought will just not do), smother ’em in the good stuff, and serve with crusty bread. Shortcut 1: We don’t cook the tomatoes at all. They taste amazing. Shortcut 2: If we have fresh bread, we don’t even bother to toast it. But if you want to, you can brush sliced bread with olive oil and crisp it in the toaster oven or under the broiler for a few minutes.

Ta-da! So, without further ado, the… “recipe” (print here)

Ingredients

• Tomatoes
• Fresh basil
• Garlic
• Olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar
• Salt
• Crusty bread, for serving

Directions

Chop tomatoes and basil, mince garlic, and place all, including the tomato juices, in a mixing bowl. Coat with olive oil, drizzle with about half as much balsamic, and sprinkle with salt. Mix. Taste test and adjust ratios, if needed. Serve immediately with crusty bread, or store in the refrigerator for a few hours to give the flavors time to develop. This will store covered in the refrigerator for a few days.

 Notes

You’ll notice this recipe doesn’t have any amounts—that’s because it’s a taste-as-you-go experience! You can whip this up for lunch for one, or make a huge batch for a party. You should customize to the saltiness, tartness, and garlicky-ness that work with your tomatoes and your taste buds. Start with a little of each ingredient: you can always add more.

We don’t cook our tomatoes or toast our bread, since we like the freshness of all these flavors. The balsamic vinegar will also soften the tomatoes a bit. If you prefer, you can brush sliced bread with olive oil and crisp in the toaster over or under the broiler for a few minutes.